Afterlight
by RealEdwardCullen
Summary: Classic Twilight reboot in Edward POV. Edward Cullen's plans for solitary existence are complicated by an unexpected friendship with Bella Swan, whose sweet spirit reawakens his longing for human connection. But Bella's love for Jacob Black and the Cullens' ill history with the Quileute tribe keep them on opposite sides of the legendary, deadly feud between vampires and werewolves.
1. Chapter 1 - First Day

**Chapter One**

 **FIRST DAY**

For Edward Cullen, life was simply a series of difficult choices set in front of him one after the other. With decisions ranging from the minutiae to the major, it was all about tiptoeing around an identity that he had worked over nine decades to conceal and deny. His self-control was not perfect, unlike what his adoptive father Carlisle had managed to achieve; then again the older vampire boasted exactly two hundred and fifty-five years of experience over him.

Today was Edward's first day bearing the full weight of the consequences of his most recent string of big choices. The choice to move back in with his "parents" at their home in Washington. The choice not to attend high school for what would have been the eleventh time, rejecting the usual strategy he and his sister Alice had been using ever since they started traveling in the same coven.

He was long past tired of pretending he was seventeen years old. He was sick of stifling his knowledge and experience within the confines of a classroom when—in reality—he already held a degree from Weill Cornell Medical College. He had even spent a few months working an internship at The New York Hospital… until an incident involving his then-newly adopted brother Jasper forced the entire family to leave Manhattan.

Today marked another fresh start for Edward using his new identity tailored to fit the bleary town of Forks. It was his first day at his new job as an ER nurse at Forks Community Hospital. More aptly put, it was his first night. Unlike the rest of his family, he had stopped trying to emulate the sleeping patterns of normal humans. He slept from dawn until about noon then dallied within the confines of their secluded property until the sun was low enough in the horizon to pose no threat. Only then did he feel free to go anywhere he chose. Twilight was his true waking hour.

From the moment he opened his eyes that Monday afternoon and lay awake in bed to relish the silence of the deserted house, Edward sensed that something of significance would happen that day. And this was a rare inkling for a hundred year old immortal who'd tasted nearly every experience the world had left to offer. Even so, he didn't dwell on the thought as he rose to begin his day with a warm shower. Living with a sister who could see into the future and enjoyed foisting her predictions on the concerned parties left him indifferent to—and often annoyed by—the concept of fate.

Last night's hunt and subsequent consumption caused him to fall asleep as soon as he arrived home, in what could only be described as a drunken stupor. Normally he practiced more temperance in feeding, but he wanted to be prepared for his foray back into a hospital environment where a constant barrage of temptation will push his restraint to its maximum limits.

After stepping out of the shower stall he took a few minutes to stand in front of the mirror and study the scars and bruises he'd gotten the previous night from one particularly ornery, two hundred pound cougar. Normally he hunted with a partner, usually Emmett. Unfortunately, his brother had been preoccupied with romancing this wife Rosalie in a week-long celebration of their 60th wedding anniversary. This was definitely not the sort of business he wanted to get in the middle of, so he chose to go solo on a trip to the forests of Colville.

Edward traced his finger over the faint outline of the only remaining scar, too deep to completely heal overnight. In a desperate attempt to save itself before he could snap its neck to end the fight, last night's prey managed to dig its canines into his left forearm, ripping through six inches of flesh before its final breath. Despite the pain and substantial blood loss, Edward had to admire his opponent's pluck. It made for a hunt story worth sharing with his family, but there would be no trace of the scar at all by the end of the day. Vampires never got to keep any evidence of their battle wounds.

After taking his leisurely time to dress in a cotton t-shirt and jeans, he grabbed the book on his nightstand and headed downstairs. Carlisle would be at the hospital, Esme around town, and Alice at school. He should have their cavernous home all to himself for a while longer, the silence of uninhabited forest surrounding it undisturbed.

Entering the kitchen, Edward set his book down on the center island and opened the door to their unnecessarily large refrigerator. The Cullen's kitchen, the most spacious and well-equipped room in the house, was a shrine to their secret identities. It was a struggle for Edward to keep his mouth shut on how much he loathed the irony of their well-stocked pantry, but being a part of Carlisle's coven meant he had to respect the family's ways. Esme liked to make their house appear like a normal, cozy home and it was in nobody's place to deny her that.

Three pint-sized bottles of cougar blood remained from last night's kill. Economy. That was the practice Edward introduced to the coven. Phlebotomized blood never tasted as good as the fresh stuff, but bleeding their catches dry minimized waste and the risk of drawing attention to their activities.

Edward shut the fridge after deciding he didn't need another meal just yet. Gauging his thirst was the first lesson Carlisle taught him with regards to mastering his bloodlust. From there he learned to adjust his feeding schedule in keeping with that thirst in order to prevent unexpected hunger pangs. And finally, the last, most important, and most difficult lesson: should they become struck by sudden bloodlust—they must _never_ give in to it in the presence of humans. It took Edward decades to grasp all these skills, but his confidence in his self-control showed in his decision to get a job at the hospital.

He killed the next couple of hours on the living room wing chair, his feet propped up on the matching ottoman as he read through the fifth and sixth parts of _Ben Hur_. When his interest in the novel waned, he set it down and moved over to the bench behind the Steinway grand piano. His long, pale fingers hovered over the keys for a few seconds before he started to play, and a slow melancholic aria resonated against the high walls and ceilings.

He went on uninterrupted for a lengthy stretch, until he sensed the presence lingering at the archway that led from foyer. She hadn't made a sound when she entered and didn't say a word while she watched him. Edward smiled secretly but didn't look up as he brought the composition to a flourishing finish, lingering at the last note as his audience began clapping for him.

"I've never heard that one before," Esme said, tilting her head to the side. "Is it new?"

Nodding, Edward turned in his seat to face her. "Inspiration just struck," he said, pointing at the copy of _Ben Hur_ on the coffee table. "The scene where Judah's mother and sister find him at last, but weep because they know they could never be together-"

"-because as lepers they are banished," Esme finished. "Explains why it sounds so heartbreaking." She moved closer to him and rested a delicate hand on his shoulder. "Your talent never ceases to amaze me."

Edward merely shrugged. His adoptive mother was always so full of the highest praises he could never figure out new ways to respond to them. "Thank you."

"I saw all the meat you stocked in the freezer this morning," she went on, slipping off her Onassis sunglasses and the patterned silk scarf that covered her rich honey-colored hair. "It must have been quite a catch."

"It was." He gave a nonchalant wave of his hand, knowing she was mentioning it mostly out of concern for the injuries he sustained. "Nothing too difficult though. I fed well."

"So you're feeling ready for tonight?"

"As ready as I could be."

"Good." She walked towards the picture window that gave a panoramic view of their front lawn. Edward flinched on reflex as she pulled the heavy drapes aside, even though Esme would never do such a thing without guaranteeing it was safe. "It's beautiful outside."

Edward ventured a closer look, peering at the cool mist that blanketed the sprawling yard and forest beyond. Though he couldn't see much of the sky through the thick canopy of cedar branches that spread over the central acre of the Cullen estate, he could tell that clouds were blocking out nearly all of the waning September sunlight. Forks was one of the few places left in America where they could count on this type of protection through most the year.

"And it doesn't look like it would clear up for the rest of the day." Esme patted his arm and flashed him a smile as though she were the mind reader between the two. And just like that, Edward's agenda for the rest of the afternoon was settled.

After a quick detour upstairs to grab his running shoes and pull on a hooded sweatshirt, he set off on his usual route—a set trail that he used for exercise. It followed the river that ran past the outer grounds of their property, snaking through the woods for miles. Edward ran this course for as far as he dared, before the risks of sparse trees, human contact, or the reservation borderline posed an issue.

He tackled the first leg of the journey in a full speed sprint, covering twenty miles well under five minutes. The cold air seared his nostrils and chilled the already icy skin of his face; his muscles pulsed with energy as though actual blood and adrenaline still coursed through his old veins. This was an exhilaration that all vampires craved but was problematic for those who turned their backs on the usual activities of their kind, in favor of a life of peace and total discretion.

Reaching the end point of his route, he took a seat on a fallen log to slow his breath as it issued from his lips in visible puffs. Propping his foot on his knee—right and then left—he checked the soles of his trainers to made sure they'd survived the trip. The bottoms were worn halfway through from the relentless workout he pushed on them, but he decided they would hold for at least a couple more runs.

Finally he got up and set out for the return trip, this time taking a leisurely pace more conducive to sightseeing than exercise.

As a jaded immortal that'd already travelled through roughly a fourth of the world's countries, Edward was rarely impressed by scenery anymore. He'd viewed the monolithic architecture and artwork of the masters in Rome, Paris, Moscow. He'd explored ancient ruins in Peru and visited tribal lands in Angola. He'd experienced the diverse lifestyles of both technologically advanced Japan and impoverished Laos. There was just nothing novel enough left to bring him any genuine excitement.

Thankfully, nature's small wonders and landscapes still managed to break Edward's ennui on occasion. The forests of the Olympic Peninsula ranked high in his list of most beautiful spots in the world that were also feasible as places of residence. The vibrant evergreen trees, growing densely enough to blanket mountains that quartered herds and packs of fauna, created a hauntingly serene playground that never stopped changing. Clallam County was one of the least densely populated areas in western United States, and yet at the same time it teemed with life that shifted in a constant flurry of activity. It offered all the things Edward and the rest of his coven required, and less of the temptations they avoided in order to sustain their lifestyle.

Just when Edward thought his trek back home would pass without incident, his ears detected movement plodding through the undergrowth, heading in his direction. Before the humans had a chance to cross his path, he scrambled up the nearest spruce tree. From his vantage point of nearly a hundred feet above the ground, he watched and waited while they marched by—a small hunting party of three men and one elkhound. Edward hardly ever worried about human hunters. Often their senses were far too dull to notice his presence when he didn't wish to be found. Animal companions with noses just as keen as those of vampires were the ones to watch out for.

But by the time the elkhound picked up on his scent and started barking to alert its oblivious masters, Edward had already hopped from one neighboring tree to another until he was a couple more miles further off.

He stopped a second time to rest, but just as he was about to sit on the mossy branch he noticed that the fog thinned drastically at that height. The late afternoon rays that managed to pierce the overhanging clouds trickled through the mist to strike the only area of his skin that remained exposed—his face.

"Argh!" Edward hissed as a scalding pain swept across his forehead, nose, and cheeks, spreading down to his neck. His lips had already cracked and bled in the millisecond before he turned his back and pulled the hood closer around his head. He quickly jumped and dropped several feet lower down the tree, skirting around the wide trunk until he was certain he was back under safe cover from the sunlight.

Panting and gritting his teeth against the noxious burns he knew now marred his skin, Edward struggled not to dwell on his moment of carelessness. One downside to the freedom Forks permitted was that it also gave an illusion of normalcy. And no matter how much he craved to experience a normal life close to what humans enjoyed, it could literally kill him the same way flames hypnotized moths into their fiery deaths.

Though he was fairly certain that the burns had already completely healed by the time he arrived home, Edward didn't want to risk raising Esme or Carlisle's worries over his bout of clumsiness. He entered the house by the back way, passing through the garage. He checked his reflection on his Volvo's side mirror; no trace of injury was visible. He noted the three other cars parked around his: Carlisle's Mercedes, Esme's Audi and Alice's Infiniti. The entire family was home.

He undid the laces of his trainers and pulled them off before stepping a foot on Esme's meticulously polished hardwood floors. Shoes still in hand, he entered the kitchen with the intention of finishing his leftover stock of cougar blood. The physical exertion did its job in stoking his hunger, which was in perfect timing. He had a few hours left to sate that thirst before leaving for work.

Physical exertion was also to blame for his failure in detecting the stranger's presence, until he was in the same room and she stood right in front of him. Edward froze at the same moment the girl raised her head. Their gazes met over the kitchen island before he could recover from the shock.

There was a human in their house.

Her cheeks flushed with obvious embarrassment but not nervousness. Casting a quick glance around her, she got up from her chair and walked around the barrier that separated them. A voice in the back of Edward's mind shouted at him to maintain his distance. He was not ready for this which meant it was not safe. For either of them.

Edward staggered a single step backward, but found that he could do no more. The teenage girl tugged on her ponytail, pulling the long brown tresses over her shoulder. Her warm eyes focused directly on him and she smiled to reveal a set of even white teeth.

"Are you Edward?"

Without waiting for an answer she stuck out her hand to him.

"I'm a classmate of Alice. My name's Bella."

 _End of Chapter One_

Playlist recommendation:

 **"Meant to Live" [Switchfoot]**

 _Fumbling his confidence_  
 _And wond'ring why the world has passed him by_  
 _Hoping that he's meant for more than arguments_  
 _And failed attempts to fly, fly_

 _We were meant to live for so much more_  
 _Have we lost ourselves?_  
 _Somewhere we live inside_  
 _Somewhere we live inside_


	2. Chapter 2 - Chief Swan's Daughter

**Chapter Two**

 **Chief Swan's Daughter**

Alice. That was the name Edward focused on instead of the one this stranger used to introduce herself. For a moment he abandoned being fearful of the situation he'd unwittingly walked into and instead lingered on his frustration towards his adoptive sister. What in the world could she have been thinking?!

But that was the thing about Alice. No one ever understood what was going through her mind. Although Edward had the best shot at figuring her out, he wasn't interested in digging up information that was best left unknown. Not that he placed much stock in Alice's "visions". Too much in his life had already been taken away, but he was determined to keep his future his own.

Having to deal with the psychic vampire's antics however, was starting to get _too_ irksome. Especially when they caught Edward off-guard, basically pissing on his efforts to be careful and responsible in his relationship with humans.

"Um, Alice went upstairs to grab something from her room. She said she'll be right back."

The girl—Bella—started to look uncomfortable now, and although her smile quivered slightly, she managed to keep it on her lips. Edward felt moisture on his palm and realized that her hand was sweating against his… on account of him still not letting go.

"Oh. Yeah. Sorry." Not for the first time, Edward felt grateful to be incapable of blushing. He took in a deep but discreet breath and did his best to smile back at their unexpected visitor. After all, it wasn't her fault that Alice chose her as the target of another one of her mysterious ploys.

"So…" he said slowly, nodding at the books and papers strewn over the kitchen countertop. "Are you guys working on a project or something?"

"Biology homework." Bella rolled her eyes and retreated to her stool. "All I can say is, thank God I got your sister as my lab partner. I'm hopeless at this subject. She was nice enough to offer to tutor me and help me get caught up."

"Uh, huh…" Throughout this whole exchange Edward didn't budge an inch from his spot, for two discernable reasons. On one hand, he was erring to the side of caution and didn't quite trust himself to lessen the distance between them. On the other, his desire to make a hasty exit had dissipated. Now that the nasty shock had worn off, curiosity remained and enticed him into staying.

Not that he could possibly be curious about this girl per se. There was absolutely nothing striking about her. She wasn't ugly by any measure; in fact her delicate features made up quite a pretty face. She simply wasn't striking enough to rise above a crowd—the kind of girl he would never have taken a second glance at.

And yet there he was. Staring at this Bella longer that he'd ever bothered to look at a human in years.

"Oh, Edward! You're home!"

Alice made her entrance the only she knew how—with soundless, exuberant skipping that gave one the impression she could dance on air. She executed all her movements with extraordinary grace, even for a vampire, and Carlisle and Esme often spoke in praise of it. Edward on the other hand, wished she could be more normal with the basic act of walking. But if he were being completely honest, he would also admit that a certain bias existed, given that Alice was also the only person—human or vampire—with the ability to sneak up on him undetected.

"I see you've already met my friend Bella," Alice said, standing next to her new friend and flashing Edward a wan smile. "She's Chief Swan's daughter, you know."

"Oh really?" Edward's eyebrows lifted. He'd seen Charlie Swan around town a couple of times since their family's return, but they had never spoken or been introduced. Nonetheless, the Forks police chief was on the short list of people to watch out for in the small community, so this was possibly the most relevant piece of information on Alice's guest.

The way Bella nodded in response made clear that she was proud of the relation. "Dad prefers to be known as the original champion of the Last Chance Salmon Derby." She threw up her hands in mock exasperation. "Never mind that seven champions have been crowned since his one-time win. He tells everybody that fishing is his true calling. In fact, that's the name of his boat. True Calling."

Edward folded his arms over his chest and leaned back against the counter. "Ever go out on the boat with him?"

"Occasionally," Bella said. "On the days when weather conditions aren't too hard core. It makes for great father-daughter bonding, but he also preserves some of the time to be alone."

"I've never gone fishing," Alice chimed in. "But it's always sounded like fun!" She jabbed Edward's ribs with her exceptionally sharp elbow. "We should give it a try sometime, Edward. Tag along with Bella and her dad. "

Bella's eyes lit up, echoing Alice's enthusiasm. "Absolutely! He'll take anyone who expresses even the slightest bit of interest… then pull out all stops to make it your favorite new past time." She laughed, something Edward was starting to think she did a lot. "Just let me know which weekend you guys are available, and I'll check if it works for him."

"This Sunday would be good," Alice offered immediately. "I hear the weather's going to be perfect."

Edward's fists clenched where they were tucked under his arms. She was out of control. Even for Alice, this behavior too far over the line, one he had clearly drawn out for her years ago. She had done pretty well respecting it for the last couple of decades. But whatever was causing her to act out now, he didn't care. He wanted no part in it.

He contorted his face into what he hoped passed for a smile. "Sorry, this weekend's no good for me," he said, looking directly at Bella. "Work."

"He's an ER nurse at Forks Community," Alice said, in yet another violation of Edward's cherished privacy. How much did her friend need to know about him, and what for?

"Cool! And you said your Dad's a doctor there too, right?" Bella appeared genuinely impressed. "Boy, did I ever choose the right house to come to for bio lab 911."

When Edward saw Alice begin to open her mouth again, he cut her off. "Alice, can I have a word upstairs?"

Her eyes had the nerve to exude Bambi innocence when she turned to him. "Right now? Why?"

"Personal favor." He wrapped his hand around her elbow and began to steer her towards the door. "It was nice meeting you, Bella."

"Likewise. See you later, Edward!" she called after the siblings, before they disappeared into the hallway.

"She's really sweet, isn't she?" Alice chirped, mindless of Edward's deliberately tight grip on her arm as he hurried her up the stairs. "We should definitely take a rain check on that fishing trip. Surely your weekends aren't _all_ going to be tied up."

Edward managed to wait for his bedroom door to shut behind them before he erupted. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

Alice tilted her chin up defiantly. She was nearly half Edward's size, but she was never intimidated by him. No matter how long or loudly he would rage at her, he had never seen her get flustered.

"Am I supposed to apologize for introducing you to my friend?"

"Unbelievable." Edward clutched at a fistful of his own hair and gave a humorless laugh. "Don't be coy, Alice. It works on everyone except me and you know it. What was all that nonsense downstairs? What are you playing at?"

Alice planted her hands on her hips and stared evenly at him. A long silence hung between them as she bit her lip, rose on her toes, and flexed her shoulders. Edward held her gaze and waited.

"I'm not playing at anything," she finally said. The cheer in her eyes had been replaced with cool, steely resolve. Even her lilting voice took on a firm, mirthless tone. Rare were the occasions when Alice turned deadly serious, and each time Edward found it completely unnerving. "Bella is your soulmate, Edward. I've seen it."

The pause that followed her statement was only a heartbeat long. Edward let out a slow breath and moved to the door.

"I should have known…"

"Edward, no." Alice stepped in front of him to block his retreat. As tiny as she was, she would be strong enough to physically restrain him, unless he retaliated with full force. "Won't you just listen to me?"

"No, Alice. I won't!" Edward snapped. "There was no expiration date on our agreement. On _your_ promise." He gestured at the closed door as if the subject of their discussion was standing right behind it. "Whatever that girl might be or not be in my future, I don't want to hear about it!"

"But she-!"

"Alice!" He raised his hands close to her face, stopping short of just clamping them over her mouth. "Hear _me_ out. I. DON'T. CARE."

Edward's last word was punctuated by a sharp knock on the door. A moment later, a blonde man poked his head in.

"Everything all right in here?" Carlisle looked back and forth between the two vampires, his brows knitted in concern. "You're aware our guest can probably hear you from downstairs, right?"

Edward sighed. "Sorry, Carlisle. I just…" He rubbed his hand across his eyes and looked at Alice. "I didn't meant to yell at you. I just don't want to do this. Not again. Not anymore."

"What exactly is going on?" Carlisle asked slowly, as though guesses were already forming in his mind.

"I had a vision of Edward and Bella," Alice spoke up. She stepped forward earnestly, knowing she at least had a more willing audience in Carlisle. "They were together. Happy, and in love. I found her, Carlisle. Edward's mate!"

Carlisle frowned, seeming more disturbed than pleased by the news. "Alice," he began gently. "You know you're not supposed to share predictions of that nature with us anymore. You swore to Edward you'd stop, after-" He trailed off, knowing where the rest of the sentence would lead.

"I know what I swore then, but _this_ is important!" Alice cried. "I know the agreement was to leave Edward be after what happened with Sarah, but I never really wanted that. Am I supposed to let someone I care about just give up on all chance of happiness?"

She reached out and grabbed Edward's hand. He felt her trembling from her excitement. "You have to give it a chance, Edward," she pleaded. "Don't shut Bella out the way you've done with everyone else. You just need-"

He pried her fingers off him without even looking at her. Fortunately, she didn't resist when he brushed past her to get to the door. His patience could only hold out for so long.

He could hardly believe Alice dared to say _her_ name.

Edward paused beside Carlisle. "Either she stops this," he said in a low voice. "Or I'm gone. I won't be talked out of it again."

As he stepped into the hallway, Esme moved aside to avoid a collision. Her sympathetic eyes reminded Edward of their earlier conversation about Ben Hur. And for a moment, through her, Edward saw Alice's viewpoint that was shared by all his family. They were concerned about his loneliness, despise him continuously expressing his desire to remain alone.

Edward shook his head wordlessly and walked to the large window at the end of the hall. Sliding it open, he slipped through and dropped to the side yard two stories below.

After the number Alice did on him, with ludicrous talk of soul mates, he needed another run to clear his head. The last thing he wanted lingering in his mind were the echoes of Bella Swan's laughter.

* * *

 **Author Note: Please see my Profile for information about the Afterlight series. Reviews are greatly appreciated!** :)

Playlist recommendation:

 **"Dare to Believe" [Boyce Avenue]**

 _It's feeling like the time's run out_  
 _But the hour glass just flipped itself over again_  
 _The sun is slowly sinking down_  
 _But on the other side a new day waits to begin_

 _If you dare to believe in life_  
 _You might realize that there's no time for talking_  
 _Or to just wait around while the innocent die_

 _No more_  
 _We're gonna lose everything_  
 _If we believe all the lies_  
 _I may fall but I swear that I'll help you believe_


End file.
